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LWVIA 2012 Priorities
Equitable Access to Mental Health Services
• Redesign a coordinated and comprehensive mental health system that ensures convenient and equitable access to an established menu of mental health services for Iowans of all ages who need mental health services. The legislature needs to provide adequate funding for a comprehensive menu of quality services, including those that promote early detection and individualized, evidenced-based treatment of mental illnesses and co-occurring substance abuse disorders. Appropriate levels of care should be available that meet people’s needs in or near their home communities.
• Expand Iowa’s mental health parity law to require insurance coverage for all diagnosed mental illnesses, including substance use disorders. Addressing mental illnesses directly through appropriate care as needed cuts the overall costs of health care by preventing unnecessary institutionalization and emergency care.
Sentencing and Corrections Reform
• Continue to pursue sentencing reforms that allow more judicial and board of parole discretion, reduce mandatory minimums, provide prison alternatives for persons who are mentally ill or have special needs, and include re-entry programs that reduce recidivism and allow successful community reintegration. The state needs to provide adequate community-based resources to accomplish these goals.
• Expand programs that divert mentally ill individuals from the criminal justice system. Examples include mental health crisis intervention teams, jail diversion programs, and mental health courts.
Environmental Issues
• Expand Iowa’s use of sustainable, renewably-powered energy sources. Use existing technologies to make current power plants more efficient. Initiate a moratorium on new coal-fired power plants so as to reduce greenhouse gases which are linked to global warming. Initiate a moratorium on new nuclear plants until a proven method can be found to deal safely with low level spent nuclear waste.
• Strengthen Iowa's environmental programs, especially efforts to prevent pollution in our water sources, and to clean up state waterways. As the legislature works on flood control, long-range planning needs to consider the environmental, public-health, social and economic impacts of proposed plans.
• Expand Iowa’s bottle bill to include additional containers. Iowa should increase the return fee to encourage more recycling and pay for additional environmental programming.
Social Policy
• Legislate common sense gun laws that protect the public, including child safety locks, restrictions on the size of ammunition magazines, closing gun show loop holes, and banning semiautomatic assault weapons. No retreat laws and laws that increase the use of concealed weapons do not bring community peace. Less than 1% of all gun deaths involve self-defense; 99% of gun deaths are suicides or homicides.
• Protect Iowans from predatory lending practices that contribute to the cycle of debt by limiting payday lending fees to 36% APR, as 16 other states and Washington D.C. have done, and Congress did for loans to military families
Governance
• Preserve Iowa’s fair and impartial court system by supporting the current process for judicial selection and retention, and support efforts to improve the process by making better public information about judge performance available to Iowa voters.
• Implement sound campaign finance and election reforms that move toward a transparent publicly-financed election system.
• Preserve Iowa’s system for encouraging citizen participation on the voting process. Voting is a right, and Iowa does not have a problem with voter impersonation at the polls. To require voters to show a state-issued photo identification will disenfranchise the poor, college students from out-of-state, the disabled, and others. Because it would be expensive - $1.7 million just for documents alone, and because it was not needed in Iowa, the Iowa State Association of County Auditors determined that they would not support a state requirement for state-issued, photo voter identification.
Health Care Reform
• Encourage state lawmakers to implement national health care reform in a manner that is coordinated, transparent and encourages public participation and comment. Quality, affordable health care should be available to all US residents. Necessary resources should be dedicated to the effort in order to provide all Iowans access to a basic level of care that includes disease prevention, health promotion and education, primary care (including prenatal and reproductive health), acute care, long-term care, and mental health care.
Immigration
• Support immigration policies that promote reunification of immediate families, penalize employers that hire unauthorized workers, and ensure due process for all persons (including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal, and right to humane treatment). State lawmakers should resist policies that lead to racial profiling and violate constitutional rights. Children!s interests should always be safeguarded. Policies should be developed to promote the well being and ensure the safety of all children.
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STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES 2010
Primary Issues
Protection from Predatory Lending
The League of Women Voters of Iowa encourages the Iowa Legislature to pass legislation to reduce payday loan fees. Lawmakers should cap payday loan fees at 36% APR, as Congress did for loans to military families.
Ensure Equitable Access to Mental Health Services
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports a coordinated state mental health system that ensures convenient and equitable access to care for all Iowans (children and adults) who need mental health services.
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports adequate funding of an array of services, especially those that promote early detection and treatment of mental illnesses and co-occurring substance abuse disorders. Appropriate levels of care should be available that meet people’s needs in or near their home communities.
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports a mental health system that individualizes care to meet a person’s specific mental health needs and focuses on the person’s strengths and ability to recover.
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports a mental health system that is accountable to its consumers and communities by providing efficient, effective, and evidence-based programs and services.
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports eradication of the stigma of mental illness and believes persons with mental health needs should be treated with the same respect, and their illnesses treated with the same urgency, as persons with other physical health needs.
Secondary Issues
Support Immigration Reforms
The League of Women Voters of Iowa urges the Iowa Legislature to support legislation that provides penalties for employers who hire unauthorized workers; due process for all persons including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal, and right to humane treatment; and increased funding for English language classes
Sentencing & Corrections Reform
The League of Women Voters of Iowa urges the Iowa Legislature to consider the recommendations in the Criminal Code Reorganization Committee report.
The League also urges lawmakers to fund more community based correction programs and programs that facilitate prisoner reentry into the community, and increase funding for programs that treat the special needs offender.
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STATE LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES 2009
Prevent Future Flooding by Better Land Management
Promote and enforce conservation policies that control erosion, improve water quality and help prevent flooding.
Protection from Predatory Lending and Consumer Fraud
LWVIA encourages the Iowa Legislature to pass legislation to reduce payday loan fees and to allow Iowa consumers to sue when they think they have been defrauded. Iowa is the only state in the country where an individual cannot sue under the state’s Consumer Fraud Act.
Immigration
LWVIA urges the Iowa Legislature to support legislation that provides:
· penalties for employers who hire unauthorized workers
· due process for all persons including the right to a fair hearing, right to counsel, right of appeal, and right to humane treatment
· increased funding for English language classes
Sentencing and Corrections
LWVIA urges the Iowa Legislative to:
· consider recommendations from the Criminal Code Reorganization Committee report
· fund more community based correction programs and programs that facilitate prisoner reentry into the community,
· increase funding for programs that treat the special needs offender.
Other Areas of Interest:
--Returnable Beverage Container Legislation (Bottle Bill)
--Campaign Finance Reform
--Strengthen Iowa’s Open Meetings la
New: Moratorium on New Coal-Fired Electric Power Plants
Support for a ten-year moratorium on new construction of coal-fired electric power plants. This action is based on LWVUS environmental and energy positions and will reinforce the work the League is doing around the country to combat global climate change.
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2008 LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES
CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM
LWVIA will work for improved methods of financing political campaigns in Iowa in order to ensure the publicʼs right to know, to combat undue influence, and to promote citizen participation in the political process. We support the Voter Owned Iowa Clean Elections (VOICES) bill, which has passed committees in both the Iowa House and Senate, as one way to improve financing political campaigns..
WATER QUALITY AND CONCENTRATED ANIMAL FEEDING OPERATIONS
LWVIA supports management policies to protect our natural resources and protect public health We urge the Iowa House to support mandatory inspection of septic tanks (has passed the Senate) when property is sold in rural areas.
League supports stronger oversight and regulation of industrial livestock facilities to overcome the negative impacts of industrial livestock production on water quality, air quality, health and quality of life.
PREDATORY LENDING
LWVIA supports economic justice and encourages the Iowa Legislature to pass legislation to reduce payday loan fees and to address the abuses in home mortgage lending..
HELP FOR SPECIAL NEEDS OFFENDERS.
LWVIA supports legislation that expands services and programs for the special needs offender. This includes offenders with mental health and substance abuse treatment needs. We also support the availability of mental health and substance abuse treatment for offenders in community based programs.
RETURNABLE BEVERAGE CONTAINER LEGISLATION (BOTTLE BILL)
The LWVIA is a strong proponent of of solid waste management. We support mandatory deposits on beverage containers to promote recycling and reuse and to reduce litter. The League supports expanding the law to cover beverage containers that have come on the market since the 1978 law passed. The League strongly urges the Iowa Legislature to expand the amount paid for handling to redemption centers to 2 cents.
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2007 PRIORITIES
ELECTION REFORM
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports the implementation of voting systems and procedures that are secure, accurate, recountable and accessible in order to safeguard the vote and to insure integrity and voter confidence in elections. We support a requirement that all touchscreen voting machines print Voter Verified Paper Ballots.
We also support mandatory electronic filing of campaign finance reports by all candidates for statewide offices and the Iowa Legislature.
MINIMUM WAGE
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports increasing the minimum wage in Iowa to promote financial self-sufficiency for individuals and families.
WATER RESOURCES
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports adequate funding and policy changes to protect the quality and quantity of our ground and surface water resources.
TOBACCO HEALTH ISSUES
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports in increase in taxes on all tobacco products to improve the health of Iowans by reducing tobacco use.
We also support local control of smoking ordinances.
SENTENCING AND CORRECTIONS
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports expanding substance abuse treatment in prison and in Community Based Corrections to improve outcomes. In addition, League supports additional funding for targeted programs for special needs inmates who are mentally ill, mentally retarded or socially inadequate.
We oppose enactment of the death penalty in Iowa.
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2006 PRIORITIES
INCREASE IN TOBACCO TAX
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports an increase in taxes on all tobacco products to improve the health of Iowans by reducing tobacco use. This will save lives and result in lower health-care costs for all.
JUSTICE: DEATH PENALTY, SENTENCING, CORRECTIONS
The League of Women Voters of Iowa opposes capitol punishment and its reinstatement in Iowa. We support the present penalty of life imprisonment without parole for capitol crimes.
The LWVIA supports the repeal or reduction of mandatory minimum sentences.
We also support Iowa's system of community based corrections (CBCs) and believe they should be expanded. We support legislation that considers offenders with special needs (i.e. inmates identified as mentally ill, substance abusers, geriatric, and medically needy).
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
The League of Women Voters of Iowa is opposed to a public referendum on taxes. We support an equitable and flexible Iowa tax system that is progressive and provides sufficient revenue. We are opposed to the proposed constitutional amendment which has passed the Iowa Legislature once and must pass again before going to the public for a vote. The proposal calls for voter approval to increase any sales, income or property tax or fee by more than one percent of state revenues.
VOTING SYSTEM SECURITY
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports the implementation of voting systems and procedures that are secure, accurate, recountable, and accessible in order to safeguard the vote and to insure integrity and voter confidence in elections.
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2005 PRIORITIES
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports an equitable and flexible Iowa tax system that is progressive and provides sufficient revenue. We are opposed to the proposed constitutional amendment that calls for voter approval before the Iowa Legislature can increase any sales, income or property tax or fee by more than one percent of state revenue.
VOTING RIGHTS FOR FELONS.
The League of Women Voters of Iowa believes that all citizens should be protected in their right to vote, and supports the automatic restoration of voting rights for felons who have been discharged.
The League of Women Voters of Iowa believes that all governmental meetings at which public policy decisions are made should be open to the public and the press, and therefore is opposed to private meetings of legislative working groups. We believe the public should be provided the opportunity to testify on pending legislation. We also believe that timely advance notice of all legislative committee and sub-committee meetings should be posted, with agendas, for legislators, the public, and the press.
MENTAL HEALTH PARITY.
The League of Women Voters of Iowa supports a health care system that provides access to a basic level of quality health care including mental health care.
OPENNESS IN GOVERNMENT AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
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Priorities 2004
OPEN STATE LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS
The League of Women Voters opposes private meetings of legislative “working groups”. We believe that all meetings at which public policy decisions are made should be open to the public and the press. We also support having agendas of all legislative committees and sub-committees posted in advance.
MENTAL HEALTH PARITY
The League supports a health care system that provides access to a basic level of quality mental health care.
RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS FOR FELONS
The League believes that every citizen should be protected in his or her right to vote. We support automatic restoration of voting rights for felons who have been discharged from confinement and parole and have made full restitution.
HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT (HAVA)
The League urges the Iowa General Assembly to pass legislation to implement the federal “Help America Vote Act”, including the allocation of necessary state funds to draw down available federal funds.
CHILD WELFARE
The League supports the state’s attempt to design the most efficient ways to deliver services to children and families at risk. We are, however, very concerned that the current level of funding is inadequate to provide child abuse protection, family support services, counseling, and quality child care even after efficiencies are found.
REPRODUCTIVE CHOICE
The League believes that public policy in a pluralistic society must affirm the constitutional right of privacy of the individual to make reproductive choices and opposes any further restrictions on abortions.
The LWVIA supports an indeterminate sentencing structure.
[Under an indeterminate sentencing structure the legislature sets the maximum sentence length of a prison term that can be imposed. If the judge sends the offender to prison, the release authority, such as the Board of Parole, in consultation with the Department of Corrections, later determines how long the offender will serve, up to the maximum sentence. The inmate can be released prior to serving the maximum term. However, mandatory minimum sentences prohibit the Board of Parole from considering inmates for release until the mandatory minimum sentence has been served.]
Mandatory minimum sentences refer to some felony charges that require serving 70% of the maximum sentence before becoming eligible for consideration for parole. Other mandatory minimum sentences require 50% of the maximum term, 1/3 of the maximum term, or statutorily require a mandatory length such as 3 years, 5 years, or 10 years before becoming eligible for parole. Mandatory minimum sentences have made Iowa’s sentencing structure more determinate.
Of the 8,361 inmates incarcerated on June 30, 2003, 1,884 or about 23% were serving a mandatory sentence. Of those with active mandatory minimum terms, over half (54%) were drug-related; 39% were sentenced under Iowa Code Sections 901A (sexual predatory offenses) or 902.12 which requires 70% of the term to be served. (CJJP)
Repealing mandatory minimum sentences provides an opportunity for inmates to be considered for parole, it doesn’t mean they will be released. Release will occur prior to expiration of the full sentence only if the Parole Board deems them at low risk of reoffending.
Iowa prisons exceed capacity by 21%. If current offender behaviors and justice trends, policies and practices continue, Iowa prison population may be expected to exceed official capacity by 2,107 inmates or by about 29.2% by June 30, 2006. (IA Prison Population Forecast FY 2004-2014, CJJP)
The legislature acted in 2004 to reduce mandatory minimum sentences for certain of the more violent crimes from 85% to 70%. This has saved 2,127 prisoner days. (CJJP) The average daily cost of maintaining an inmate is $58.50. (1/1/03 data)
Substance abuse is a medical condition requiring inpatient and/or outpatient treatment, depending on the needs of the patient. Release should be based on progress in treatment. Outpatient after care services can be provided or supervised by community corrections. Substance abuse treatment is readily available in many communities.
It is time to repeal mandatory minimum sentences for drug offenses. Some sentences are extraordinarily long due to several drug sentences running consecutively, all of them carrying mandatory minimum sentences. Allow the Parole Board to exercise discretion to consider the individual circumstances and make release decisions based on the risk of the offender.
Indiana, North Dakota, Connecticut, Missouri, Arizona, Mississippi, Michigan and Louisiana have repealed or reduced selected mandatory minimum sentences primarily for drug offenses. Michigan will save an estimated $41 million this year because of the reforms. (Families Against Mandatory Minimums, Justice Policy Institute)
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